Donald Trump’s blunt warning that he was not looking to have “somebody go independent” after his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping has reignited debate in Taiwan over whether Washington is hardening its message on the island. For many in Taipei, the US president’s remarks evoked memories of the George W. Bush administration, when Washington publicly checked Taiwan over moves seen as edging towards formal independence. But just as analysts were debating whether Trump had delivered the...
As US President Donald Trump prepares to visit China, Taiwan is again one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations. For Washington, this is not only a question about the Taiwan Strait. It is a strategic choice that bears on whether the United States can avoid a comprehensive conflict with China, stabilise markets and secure Chinese cooperation on trade, artificial intelligence (AI), Iran and the wider Middle East. This could be the moment when a clear US stance against Taiwan...